About

15 November 2011

In April 2010 The Department of Transportation implemented a new rulelimiting tarmac delays on domestic flights to three hours.

After that, airlines must either return to a gate or provide passengers whowish to leave planes with some other means of safely getting off.

Airlines that violate the rule can be fined as much as $27,500 per passenger.The rule has since been extended to international flight delays, which are capped at four hours.

On May 29 American Eagle Airlines had tarmac delays of more than three hours on 15 flights arriving at O'Hare International Airport.A total of 608 passengers were aboard the delayed flights.

The Department of Transportation said it has fined a regional affiliate of American Airlines $900,000 for keeping hundreds of passengers cooped up for hours on planes in Chicago earlier this year

The department said that The airline must pay $650,000 of the fine within 30 days, the department said. But up to $250,000 can be credited for refunds, vouchers, and frequent flyer mile awards provided to the passengers on the 15 flights, as well as to passengers on future flights that violate the three-hour rule.

American Eagle said that it has apologized to passengers and provided either travel vouchers or frequent flyer program mileage credit.

What is reason for such punishment?Its warning to airline companies so that in future such incidents will not happen.

Its very good decision to fine airline companies if there is delay.

Tarmac means1. A tarmacadam road or surface, especially an airport runway2. To cause (an aircraft) to sit on a taxiway3. To sit on a taxiway. Used of an aircraft

Cooped Up means –1. enclosed in a small space, unable to leave somewhere2. having to stay for a period of time in a place that is too small

If some types of tarmac or delays happen in India what we will get?Do you think you will receive any compensation or a scolding from everyone and you will go to home thinking that it’s your own mistake that you bought the tickets of that XYZ airline?